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THE CHALLENGE
The U.S. water sector faced a critical juncture with nearly one-third of utility workers nearing retirement age while many systems—particularly in rural areas—struggled to attract and retain qualified staff. Simultaneously, utilities confronted complex demands related to PFAS regulation, cybersecurity, affordability, and capital planning. With philanthropic and public sector partners investing billions in infrastructure, many communities lacked the internal capacity to access funding or build sustainable systems. Texas needed a comprehensive approach to strengthen water and wastewater utilities across the state, ensuring no community would be left behind regardless of size or wealth.
THE CIVIC SOLUTION
Through the Water Finance Exchange (WaterFX), CivicSol co-founder Laura Huffman helped establish a mission-driven nonprofit working across the United States to strengthen operational and strategic capacity of water and wastewater utilities. WaterFX operates through a multi-pronged model including workforce development to design inclusive career pathways addressing sector-wide labor shortages, utility readiness support helping systems assess organizational capacity and prepare for infrastructure funding, and regional playbooks creating customized tools based on utility type and context.
The comprehensive approach includes field building activities that convene funders, practitioners, and public sector leaders to shape water workforce policy and scale effective solutions. Through partnerships with state and federal agencies, technical assistance providers, workforce boards, and national water organizations, WaterFX ensures utilities serving small or historically underserved communities have equitable access to funding, technical assistance, and workforce development resources needed for long-term sustainability.
THE IMPACT
WaterFX has positioned Texas and communities nationwide to address the generational challenges facing water infrastructure through comprehensive workforce development and utility capacity building. By aligning workforce strategy with utility operations and creating trusted, nonpartisan platforms for collaboration, the organization helps systems meet today's demands while preparing for tomorrow's challenges. This work demonstrates how strategic partnerships between nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and private sector partners can create scalable solutions that ensure safe, reliable water services for all communities regardless of their size, geography, or economic capacity.
"WaterFX represents the future of water infrastructure—where every utility, from the largest metropolitan system to the smallest rural provider, has access to the tools and talent they need to thrive."
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